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Mady Christians is a Actor Autrichienne born on 17 january 1892 at Vienna (Austria)

Mady Christians

Mady Christians
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Birth name Marguerita Maria Christians
Nationality Austria
Birth 17 january 1892 at Vienna (Austria)
Death 29 october 1951 (at 59 years) at Norwalk (USA)

Marguerita Maria "Mady" Christians (January 19, 1892 – October 28, 1951) was an Austrian actress and naturalized US citizen who had a successful acting career in theatre and film in the United States until she was blacklisted during the McCarthy period.

Biography

She was born on January 19, 1892 to Rudolph Christians, a well-known German actor. Her family moved to Berlin when she was one year old, and to New York in 1912, where her father became the Irving Place Theatre's general manager. Five years later she returned to Europe to study under Max Reinhardt.

She appeared in a number of European films prior to the early 1930s. In 1929, she starred in the first full sound film made in Germany It's You I Have Loved. In 1933, she toured the United States in a play called Marching By and was offered a Broadway contract the following year that allowed her, like a number of other German artists, to seek refuge from the Nazi regime in the United States.

On Broadway, Webster played Queen Gertrude in Hamlet and Lady Percy in Henry IV, Part I, staged by director Margaret Webster. Webster was part of a small but influential group of lesbian producers, directors, and actors in theater (a group that included Eva Le Gallienne and Cheryl Crawford). Webster and Christians became close friends: according to Webster biographer Milly S. Barranger, it is likely that they also were lovers.

She also starred in Lillian Hellman's Watch on the Rhine. She originated the title role in the 1944 play I Remember Mama. Her last movie roles were in All My Sons, based on the play by Arthur Miller, and Letter from an Unknown Woman, both released in 1948.

During World War II, Christians was involved in political work on behalf of refugees, rights for workers (especially in theater and film), and Russian War relief, political efforts that would bring her to the attention of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other anti-communist institutions and organizations.

Usually with

Ludwig Berger
Ludwig Berger
(5 films)
Frida Richard
Frida Richard
(5 films)
Rudolph Maté
Rudolph Maté
(3 films)
Ludwig Berger
Ludwig Berger
(4 films)
Erich Pommer
Erich Pommer
(4 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Mady Christians (32 films)

Display filmography as list

Actress

Letter from an Unknown Woman, 1h26
Directed by Max Ophüls
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Romance
Themes Medical-themed films, Films about music and musicians, Piano, Films about disabilities, Personne sourde ou muette
Actors Joan Fontaine, Louis Jourdan, Erskine Sanford, Marcel Journet, Betty Blythe, Art Smith
Roles Frau Berndle
Rating78% 3.9477353.9477353.9477353.9477353.947735
In Vienna in the early twentieth century, Lisa (Joan Fontaine), a teenager living in an apartment complex, becomes fascinated by a new tenant, concert pianist Stefan Brand (Louis Jourdan). Stefan is making a name for himself through energetic performances. Lisa becomes obsessed with Stefan, staying up late to listen to him play, and sneaking into his apartment and admiring him from a distance. Despite her actions, they only meet once and Stefan takes little notice of her.
All My Sons, 1h34
Directed by Irving Reis
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Crime
Themes Théâtre, Films based on plays
Actors Edward G. Robinson, Burt Lancaster, Howard Duff, Louisa Horton Hill, Arlene Francis, Harry Morgan
Roles Kate Keller
Rating72% 3.641183.641183.641183.641183.64118
Joe Keller is sorry to hear son Chris plans to wed Ann Deever and move to Chicago, for he hoped Chris would someday take over the manufacturing business Joe built from the ground up.
Tender Comrade, 1h42
Directed by Edward Dmytryk
Origin USA
Genres Drama, War, Romance
Themes Political films
Actors Ginger Rogers, Robert Ryan, Ruth Hussey, Kim Hunter, Patricia Collinge, Mady Christians
Roles Manya Lodge
Rating61% 3.099843.099843.099843.099843.09984
Jo Jones (Ginger Rogers) works in an airplane factory and longs for the day when she will see her husband (Robert Ryan) again. The couple have a heart wrenching farewell at the train station before he leaves for overseas duty in the war. With their husbands off fighting in World War II, Jo and her co-workers struggle to pay living expenses. Unable to meet their rent, they decide to move in together and share expenses. The different women's personalities clash, especially when tensions rise over their German immigrant housekeeper Manya (Mady Christians). Jo discovers she is pregnant and ends up having a son who she names Chris after his father. The women are overjoyed when Doris' (Kim Hunter) husband comes home, but the same day Jo receives a telegram informing her that her husband has been killed. She hides her grief and joins in the homecoming celebration.
Address Unknown, 1h15
Directed by William Cameron Menzies
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Themes Political films
Actors Paul Lukas, Carl Esmond, Peter van Eyck, Mady Christians, Morris Carnovsky, K. T. Stevens
Roles Elsa Schulz
Rating68% 3.440793.440793.440793.440793.44079
Two close friends, Martin Schulz and Max Eisenstein (Morris Carnovsky), are German expatriate art dealers living in the United States. Martin's son Heinrich (Peter van Eyck) and Max's daughter Griselle (K.T. Stevens) are in love. However, she turns down his proposal of marriage for the time being, as she aspires to become an actress. When Martin and his wife return to Germany for business purposes, Griselle accompanies them to seek acting opportunities there. Max and Heinrich remain in San Francisco to run the art gallery, while Martin sends them paintings to sell. Martin sends a strange painting from an unknown artist to Max as a joke, the "unknown" artist being Pablo Picasso. A determined patron (Mary Young) insists on buying the painting, over Max's well-intended protests.
Seventh Heaven, 1h42
Directed by Henry King, Robert D. Webb
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Romance
Themes Théâtre, Political films, Films based on plays, Children's films
Actors Simone Simon, James Stewart, Jean Hersholt, Gale Sondergaard, Gregory Ratoff, J. Edward Bromberg
Roles Marie
Rating69% 3.491263.491263.491263.491263.49126
In a 1914 lower class district of Paris, content sewer worker named Chico (James Stewart) is criticized by his fellow citizens for being an atheist. One day, he witnesses a young woman (Simone Simon) being brutally beaten by her sister (Gale Sondergaard) for not entertaining a senior wealthy man in her sleazy bar. He sympathizes with the girl, Diane, and stops the fight. Later, Father Chevillon (Jean Hersholt), who is worried about Chico's lack of faith, offers him a deal: he will grant him a street washer job if he takes in Diane and opens his mind about believing in God. Chico agrees, and he prevents Diane's sister from turning her in to the police by claiming that she is his wife.
The Woman I Love, 1h25
Directed by Anatole Litvak
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Romance
Themes Transport films, Aviation films, Political films
Actors Paul Muni, Miriam Hopkins, Louis Hayward, Colin Clive, Minor Watson, Elisabeth Risdon
Roles Florence
Rating65% 3.2855053.2855053.2855053.2855053.285505
In World War I, French fighter pilot Lt. Claude Maury (Paul Muni) gains a bad reputation in his squadron, flying off on "lone wolf" missions. More importantly, Maury continually returns to base with his air observers/gunners killed or wounded. Others believe he is either "jinxed" or dangerous, and only Lt. Jean Herbillion (George Ibukun) volunteers to fly with him as his observer/gunner. Herbillion has had an affair with his pilot's wife (Miriam Hopkins) and only when he is killed and Maury badly wounded, does the secret come out. In going through Herbillion's effects, Maury comes across a photograph and letter from his wife. She confesses to the affair and begs forgiveness. In the end, he relents as she nurses him back to health.
Heidi
Heidi (1937)
, 1h28
Directed by Allan Dwan
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Musical
Themes Films about children, Children's films
Actors Shirley Temple, Jean Hersholt, Arthur Treacher, Mary Nash, Marcia Mae Jones, Sidney Blackmer
Roles Dete
Rating71% 3.5949753.5949753.5949753.5949753.594975
Adelheid, called Heidi (Shirley Temple), is an eight-year-old Swiss orphan who is given by her aunt to her mountain-dwelling grandfather (Jean Hersholt). She is then stolen back by her aunt from her grandfather to live in the wealthy Sesemann household in Frankfurt, Germany as a companion to Klara (Marcia Mae Jones), a sheltered, disabled girl in a wheelchair.
Come and Get It, 1h39
Directed by Richard Rosson, William Wyler, Howard Hawks
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Romance
Actors Edward Arnold, Joel McCrea, Frances Farmer, Walter Brennan, Andrea Leeds, Mary Nash
Roles Karie Linbeck
Rating68% 3.4464653.4464653.4464653.4464653.446465
The story focuses on ruthless Barney Glasgow (Edward Arnold), who will stop at nothing to achieve his goal as he rises in rank from lowly lumberjack to the head of the logging industry in 19th century Wisconsin. His determination to succeed eventually leads him to end his relationship with saloon singer Lotta Morgan (Frances Farmer) and marry Emma Louise Hewitt (Mary Nash), the daughter of his boss Jed Hewett (Charles Halton), in order to secure a partnership in his business.
Ship Cafe
Ship Cafe (1935)
, 1h5
Directed by Robert Florey
Origin USA
Genres Musical
Themes Musical films
Actors Carl Brisson, Arline Judge, Mady Christians, William Frawley, Inez Courtney, Grant Withers
Roles Countess Boranoff
Rating63% 3.154943.154943.154943.154943.15494
Escapade
Escapade (1935)
, 1h32
Directed by Robert Z. Leonard
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Romantic comedy, Romance
Actors William Powell, Luise Rainer, Frank Morgan, Virginia Bruce, Mady Christians, Reginald Owen
Roles Anita
Rating70% 3.5415753.5415753.5415753.5415753.541575
Set somewhere in Vienna in the 1900s (decade), the film opens with a successful surgeon (Morgan), feeing for the affection of his wife (Bruce). As does his brother, a concert conductor (Owen), for his flirtatious gal (Christians). Both women have something in common: they are in love with a philandering painter (Powell). The surgeon's wife contacts the artist and allows herself to be painted while only dressed in furs, with her face covered by a mask. The painting headlines the newspapers, and the entire city wonders who the mysterious masked lady is. The surgeon recognizes his fiancee's wife's furs in the painting, and is troubled. He is unaware that his own wife has borrowed the fur, though, and feels terribly sorry for his brother.
A Wicked Woman, 1h12
Directed by Charles Brabin
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Romance
Actors Mady Christians, Jean Parker, Charles Bickford, William Henry, Marilyn Harris, Robert Taylor
Roles Naomi Trice, aka Naomi Stroud
Rating64% 3.2395853.2395853.2395853.2395853.239585
The House of Dora Green, 1h18
Directed by Henrik Galeen
Genres Drama
Themes Spy films
Actors Mady Christians, Paul Hartmann, Alfred Abel, Betty Bird, Fritz Alberti, John Mylong
Roles Dora Green

Foreign spies wishing to steal a technological breakthrough enlist the unwitting assistance of a cabaret singer, Dora Green. After she discovers their true intentions, she helps the authorities thwart their scheme.
The Black Hussar
Directed by Gerhard Lamprecht
Genres Drama, Comedy, Action
Themes Political films, Napoleonic Wars films, French Revolution films
Actors Conrad Veidt, Mady Christians, Ursula Grabley, Bernhard Goetzke, Otto Wallburg, Grigori Chmara
Roles Marie Luise
Rating66% 3.3097653.3097653.3097653.3097653.309765
In 1812, during the French period, large parts of Germany are occupied by the troops of Napoleon. Several paramilitary Freikorps units battle the French forces, among them the Black Brunswickers led by the 'Black Duke' Frederick William of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. After the War of the Fifth Coalition, the Black Hussars are pursued by Napoleon throughout the country, but frequently take refuge with the noble-minded German people.
My Incognito Heart
Directed by Manfred Noa, André-Paul Antoine
Origin France
Genres Drama
Actors Mady Christians, Lucette Desmoulins, Florelle, Jim Gerald, Pierre Labry
Roles La reine Alexandra

Chassée de son pays par des révolutionnaires, la reine Alexandra de Grégorie prend la route de l'exil vers la France avec Vicky, le futur prince consort. A la frontière, elle croise Fedor Kacew, le chef occulte du parti de la révolution, dont elle tombe amoureuse. Peu après s'être installée à Paris, une contre-révolution la rappelle en Grégorie où elle revient pour remonter sur son trône. Mais Alexandra finit par renoncer à ses prérogatives royales pour pouvoir épouser l'ancien révolutionnaire et Vicky, dont les espoirs dynastiques se sont envolés, décide de retourner en France pour y mener une vie de plaisirs.
The Runaway Princess
Directed by Anthony Asquith, Fritz Wendhausen
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Drama, Crime
Actors Mady Christians, Norah Baring, Paul Cavanagh, Anne Grey, Fred Rains
Roles Princess Priscilla
Rating66% 3.3274353.3274353.3274353.3274353.327435
Une princesse tente d'échapper à un mariage arrangé, mais va se trouver confrontée à des escrocs.